With the advent of independence in Zimbabwe, there has been a steady growth of translation activities. Some of these translations are of a technical nature, which implies the need for a technical vocabulary in indigenous languages. The development of a technical vocabulary in indigenous languages has been beset by a number of problems, one of which is the lack of the institutionalisation of translation as a discipline. This lack means that translation activities take place haphazardly. This paper attempts to show that the prevailing environment has not been conducive to the standardisation and development of technical terms. Translators in Zimbabwe do not have a platform where they can interact and share ideas. This leads to a lack of consistency in the translation of technical terms. It is argued that as long as standardisation is lacking, the meaningful development of a technical vocabulary in indigenous languages will remain an unattainable goal.